Mechanism for boring connecting-rod bearings



fiy i' 1929- H. M DQNOUGH MECHANISM FOR BORING CONNECTING ROD BEARINGS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 8, 1924 May 14, 1929. MQDQNOUGH MECHANISM FOR BORING ONNECTING ROD BEAR INGS Patented May 14, 1929. T

1 UNITED STATES HENRY MODONOUGH, OF ELGIN, lILLINOIS.

MECHANISM FOR BORING CONNECTING-BOD BEARINGS.

Application filed August 8, 1924. Serial No. 730,926.

This invention relates to mechanisms or tools for boring, or supporting, aligning and boring pit-man rods, or connecting rods, or similar devices, and particularly to boringbars adapted to be used for boring the bearings of pitman rods, or similar devices, and to means for supporting and aligning the pitman rods, or articles to be operated upon, during the operation of boring the same.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a simple, economical, and eflicient boring-bar or tool adapted tobe used for horing or reaming the bearings of pitman rods, or similar articles, and to provide a simple and efficient supporting and aligning means, adapted to support and align a pitman rod, or connecting rod, or similar article, during the operation of boring or roaming the same.

Other and further objects of the invention will appear from the following description and claims, and from an inspection of the accompanying drawings, which are made a part hereof.

The invention consists in the features, combinations, details of construction, and arrangement of parts herein described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a plan view of a supporting and aligning fixture, or device, for supporting and aligning pit-man rods, or similar articles to be operated. upon, during the operation of boring or roaming the same;

Fig; 2 is a view in sideelevation of the de vice shown in Fig. 1, with a piston and pitman rod shown in broken lines, in position to be operated upon;

Fig. 3 is an end view, in elevation, of the device shown in Figs. 1 and 2, showing the pitman rod to be operated upon, in transverse section, and held in position between the clamping jawsof the supporting and aligning device;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the device shown in Figs. 1 and 2, with parts broken away, or omitted, and with part of the aligning device shown in horizontal section, taken on line 4- 1 of Fig. 2, looking downward, as indicated by the arrows, and with the boring-bar or tool in operative position in the supporting and aligning device; v

Fig. 5 is a side view in elevation of a boring bar, or boring-tool, constructed in accordance with my invention; and

Fig. 6 is a view in central longitudinal vertical section, taken on line 6-6, of Fig. 5, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

In making an improved boring tool or mechanism for supporting, aligning and hering pitman roc s, or connecting rods and sim ilar devices, in accordance with my invention, I provide a supporting and aligning device 1, having a base 2, having a fixed clamping jaw, or V-block 3 on or formed in one integral piece with the base, and, by preference, located at or near one end of the base. And a clamping jaw 4, which is, by preference, in

the form of a yoke, slidably or adjustably mounted on the base 2, or V-block 3, extends over and transversely across the V-block, and is provided with a central or vertical clamping screw 5 mounted in and in threaded engagement with a central threaded opening 6 in the yoke or adjustableclamping member 1. A hand wheel 7 is fixed to the upper or outer end of the clamping screw And the opposite ends 8 of the yoke, or clamping member 4r, project inward, and are mounted in and in sliding engagement with corresponding longitudinal side grooves 9, and in "position to project under and in sliding on gagement with the bottom faces of longitudina]. shoulders or side flanges 10, which. form the upper walls of said side grooves 9.

Located, by preference, at or near the op posite end of the base 2 is an aligning device comprising transverse tubular, or hollow, supporting socket members or hearing members 11., which are, by preference, in the form of hollow tubular or transversely projecting sleeve portions fixed to or formed integral with the base 2, and projecting laterally from the opposite sides of the base, and having a bore or circular transverse opening 12, through said parts 11.

Each bore 12 isdisposed at right angles to the axial center of the opening 13 formed by and between the concave or inclined faces of the V-block 3 and the yoke or clamping member 4. And theaxes or longitudinal centers of said openings 12 and 13, are, by preference, in the same plane, and at right angles to each other.

Adjustably or slidably mounted in and. in snugly fitting adjustable engagement with the inner circular walls of the bores 12 is a pair of hollow cylindrical bushings 14, each having a conical or tapered end portion 1.5,

and a central bore or opening '16, These bushings 14 are mounted in the bores or openings "12 in alignment with each other, and have their inner ends spaced apart and located on opposite sides of the longitudinal center or axis of a pitman rod, or connecting rod 17 and piston '18, when such piston is clamped between the V-block, or fixed cl amping jaws 3 and clamping screw 5, or clamping member 4. v V

The inner conical or tapered ends of the bushings 14 are thus adapted to project inward beyond the inner ends 19 of the hollow tubular parts 11, with the axes of said sleeves or bu iings 14 in alignment with each other and transverse to and at right angles with respect to the longitudinal axis of the piston '18 and pitman rod 17 to be operated upon. 'The transverse bore or opening 20 in the bearing 21 of the pitman rod 17 to be bored or operated upon is thus adapted to receive and to be held in properly aligned position between the inner conical or tapered ends 15, ofthe adyustable bushings 14, which are encircled by the opposite ends of the bore 20 to be bored, reamed, or'aligned, and trued. Set screws or clamping screws 22 are mounted in-thehollow tubular wall portions of'the hollow bushing supports 11, and are adapted to engage and securely hold the bushings 1'4 firmly in operative position and in snugly fitting engagement with the opposite annular end margins of the bore 20 of any pitman rod bearing, orsimilar article, to be aligned and bored out or operated upon.

clamp comprising the 'V-block 3, clamping 'Located intermediate the piston-engaging screw 5'and adjustable yoke 4, and the align ingbushings 14 and their tubular supports 11 is an intermediate clamping device 23 which, by preference, comp 'ises a pair of clamping jaws 24 supported upon or operatively engaged by clamping screws 25, which i are mounted in and in threaded engagement [with opposite upright supporting members,

or arms, .26 on or formed integral with a transversely adyustable support or slide 27 mounted on the base 2. 'The adyustable clamping member 27, which supports the clamping aws 24, is, by preference, slid ably mounted'in a transverse slot or recess 28 in the base 2, said recess having transverse marginal walls 29 between and in sliding engagem'ent'wit-h which said adj us able member 27 is mounted. A headed bolt 30 is mounted in a vertical opening 31 in the adjustable base or support 27, and has its depending head 32 located in a transverse slot 33 in the base 2, and adapted to engage the bottom face 34 of the central, preferably slotted portion of the base 2. Thebolt 30 has a transverse opcning' 35 through which extends an eccentric 36, on'or formed integral with a rock-shaft or; eccentric locking member 37, which is journaledin suitable bearings 38 on the ad derstood by those skilled in the art that a pitnian or connecting rod to be operated upon may be readily mounted between and supported with its transverse bore 20 in alignment with the axes of the adjustable supportingbushings 14-, already described.

The pitman bearing or bore 20 being thus supported between the bushings 14, and the piston 18 being secured between the clamping members 3, 4, and 5, so that the axis of the piston is at right angles to the axis of the bore 20 or hearing 21. and also at right angles to the axes of the bushings 14, 14, it will be readily seen that the clamping jaws 24 are adapted to be readily secured in engagement with the opposite sides of the pitman or connecting rod 17 to be operated upon, and that the clamp 23 comprising clamping jZlWS 24 and the support 27 may then he firmly secured in rigid engagement with the base'2 without disturbing the proper position or alignment of the pitman bearing or here 20.

' The connecting rod, or pitman, 17 to be operated upon, having been mounted and secured in its proper position with respect to the piston, and the bore 20 in properly aligned aosition, it will be readily seen that either desired one or the other of the bushings 14 may be removed from engagement with the connecting rod hearing or bore 20 without disturbing the position of the connecting rod or pit-man bearing. It is there fore )ossible to conveniently remove and reverse the position of one of said bushings 14. and to insert a boring-bar or boring tool 40 into or through the axial openings in the bushings 14 and through the bore 20 or pitman rod bearing to be bored, reamed, aligned, or operated upon. (See Fig. 4.)

In making a boring-bar, reamer, or boring tool, in accordance with my invention. and adapted to be used and to operate with facility and in an eflicient manner in connection with a supporting andaligning device. I provide a boring-bar or boring tool 40, which, by preference, consists of or comprises a hollow tubular bar, or main body member 4 1, having alongitudinal axial opening 42 extending from end to end thereof. 7 Transverse or lateral openings 43 through the annular wall of the tube or bar connnunicate with the central bore or axial opening 42, and are adapted to admit and support in operative position one or more cutters 44, 44, which are, by preference, in the form of a pair of flat cutter blades, each having a cutting edge 45 at its outer peripheral margin, said outters or cutter blades 44 being. by preference, mounted side by side in the openings 43, and extending through the central bore or axial lit) V able relation to, the longitudinal side margins of the slots 43. The cutting edges or outer extremities of the cutter blades 44, thus normally project outward beyond the periphery of the tubularbody 41 of the boring bar, and are adapted to be adjusted transversely with respect to each other and with respect to the bar body to extended or retracted position, as desired.

In order to provide means eoacting with the tubular bar body for adjusting the cutter blades and for securely holding them in adjusted or extended and retracted positions, respectively, as desired, each of thecutter blades 44 is provided with an elongated slot 46, 46, extending through and obliquely with respect to said cutter blades, respectively. These slots 46, 46, in the respective cutter blades extend across each other or converge at or near the axis of rotation of the cutter blades and bar, and extend outward in opposite directions from said axis and point of convergence diagonally, or at an oblique angle, with respect to each other and with respect to said axis.

A split or forked blade-engaging bolt or rod 47, comprising forks or side arm portions 48, 48, spaced apart and adapted to admit said cutter blades 44 therebetween, is mounted in and movable longitudinally of the axial bore 42 of the boring-bar, and extends in opposite directions beyond the opposite ends or longitudinal extremities of the cutter blades 44, 44, which are thus located between the forks or side portions 48, 48, of the forked bolt or rod 47. And a transverse pin 49 extends through the oblique slots 46, 46, in the cutter blades, and across the aXis or axial center of the bar body 41 and bolt 47, and has its opposite ends secured in fixed relation to and extending through or into suitable trans verse openings in the forks or side arm portions 48, 48 of said central belt or rod 47 Transverse angular pins or blocks 50, 50 are mounted in the slots 43 in engagement with the opposite ends of the cutter blades 44,44, and between said cutter blades and the adjacent endsof theislots 43. These transverse pins or blocks 56 extend across theaXis and central bore of the tubularbody 41, and are provided with suitable securing means, such, for example, as dowel pins 51, for holding them in operative position, and preventing them from being dislodged or escaping from the slots or grooves 43 in which they are mounted. 7

One of these transverse pins or blocks 50 thus engages the crotch or inner closed end portion of the inner bolt or rod 47, and the other one of said pins or blocks 5-6 extends across the open end of said forked bolt or rod -7 and between the forked or separated end portions of said bolt. A central. end pin or bolt 51 mounted in the central bore 42 extends between the separated or forked end portions of the forked belt or rod 47 and in engagement with the adjacent transverse face of the last mentioned transverse pin-or block 50. The outer end of this bolt 42, which is, i

by preference, of smaller diameter than the main body of said bolt, extends into a suitable central opening 52 in a threaded plug 53,,which is mounted in and in screw-threaded engagement with an inner threaded end portion 54 of the bolt body. And a helical compression spring 55 encircles the inner end bolt 51, said spring being interposed between and in engagement with the end faces of the forlrs or side portions 48, 4b, of the forked bolt or rod 47, and the inner end of the screw plug 53, already described.

Mounted in and in screw-threaded engagement with the opposite screw-threaded end portion 56 of the axial bore 42 and tubular bar body 41 is a screw-threaded plug or bolt 57, the inner end of which is adapted to operatively engage the adjacent end of the inner forked bolt or red 47, or an extension there of, or similar element, such, for example, as a bolt section or filler or extension 58 which may be formed in one integral piece with the forked bolt or rod 47, or may be formed in a separate section, or sections or parts.

A screw-threaded collar, sleeve or nut 59 encircles and is secured in fixed relation to the tubular boring bar body 41, by means of a screw 60, or other suitable or ordinary securing means. 7 An enlarged annular screw-threaded portion 61 of this collar or sleeve 59 is adapted to be inserted or mounted in and in screwthreaded engagement with an inner screwthreaded portion 62 of a bushing 14 already described, each of said bushings 14 being, by preference, provided with an inner screwthreaded portion 62 dapted to receive and to be screwed into threz led ei'igageu'lent with said screw-threaded portion 61 of said collar or sleeve 59. i

The bushing or threiuled. tubular member 14 in threaded engagement with which the threaded portion 61 of the collar 59 is mounted, is withi'lrawn from its original or initial position in which it is shown in Fig. 1, and reversed, and rigidly secured in its reversed position, as shown in Fig. 3, by means of the hollow or tubular part 11 and set screw 22,

or other similar or desired securing means.

(See Fig. 4.)

The cylindrical tubular body portion 41 of the boring bar 40 is inserted through the openings 16, 16 in the bushings 1.4, one of which has its conical end portion 15 in engagement with the adjacent annular end margin of the pitma-n rod bearing 21 or; bore 20 to be'bored, reamed, or operated. upon, and the otherof which bushings 14 is reversed or in the position in which it is show in section in. Fi 4, both oi said bushings being rer-iou;

ablysecured in and in fixed relation to their support-s 11'.v The cutter blades 44, 44 are thus,aftcr first having been set or'adjusted to bore or cut or ream a bore or hole of the desired diaincter,*adaptcd to be rotated with and by means of the rotative bar body 41, the outer end of which is provided with anangular or squared end 63 adapted to he engaged and operated by a wr ich or other tool or other operating means which may be of any desired ordinary andwell known or suitable form, adapter torotate the boring bill... I V i 1 From the foregoing it will'be read l derstood that the clamping inccha lllla and pitman clamping device comprisin the V-bloek 3 ohe 4 and clam Jinn screw f-are vadaptedto hold a connecting rod orpitman rigidly in position to be ope cd upon by boring member or boringjba 40 and its cutter'blades 44, after the connectingrod or pitman has first been properly aligned and clamped in position, as indicated in. Figs. 1, 2, -8-and 4. 1

In operation the connecting rod or pitman to be operated upon is placed in the position indicated in broken lines in Figs. 1 an d 2, with the connecting rod bearing 21 hctwee connecting rod bearing 21, the bushings 14, 14.

and in engagement with the oppm i; conical or'tapered end portions 15, 15, oi the bushings 14,14, which are removably supported in and adjustable with respect to the hollow tubular supporting sockets or rigid annular bearing members 11, 11, hired to the 2. The counecting rodbcaring 21 and its bore 20 are thus first held in alignment with the axes the bushings 14, which are adjusted in their hollow supports, or tubular siuiiporting sockets 11, so as to cause the conical or tapered end portions -to snuglyengage the annular margins of the bearing 21 and bore 20, and

support said bearing and bore in alignment with the axes of the bushings 14 and at right angles to the axis of the piston 18. V The bushings 14 are then removably secured or releasably secured in position by means of the set screws'22, or other suitable securing means. And the piston is secured by its clamping device, comprising clamping members 3, 4 and 5, with its axis accuratelypositioned at right angles to the axis of the bore of the and the axes of After thehcaring 21 is secured in properly aligned position with respect to. the axis of the piston 18 and between the supporting bushings 14, the clamping mechanism 23 is properly adjusted and secured in clamping engagement with the body ofthe connecting rod 17, so as to hold the connecting rod rigidly in its properly aligned position. Either One or both of the supporting bushings or adjustable annular bearing members 14 are then released, said bushings being in close fitting, but, by preference, slidnble engagement with their hollow tubular supports 11. One of the bushings 14 is then reversed by being removed from its support 11 in the ion in which it is shown in Fig. 1, turned end for end, and inserted in said support in reversed position, as shown in Fig. 4, with thboring bar extending through the axial openings in the supportbushings 14, 14, and the cutter or cutters in position to engage the bore 20 of the connecting rod bearing 21 held rigidly in properly aligned position between the bushings 14 and between the rigid socket members 11 which encircle and support said bushings in rigid supporting engagement with the rotative boring bar, reamer, or tool 40. The annular screw-threaded collar or sleeve 59, which is on-and fixed to the boring bar 40, or may be formed in one integral piece with said boring bar, is 'thus supported with its scrcw-thrcaded portion 61 in scrcw-thrcmlcd engznrcmcnt with the reversed bushing, 14, which is provided with an inner screwthreadcd portion 62 in threaded engagement with, and adapted to cncirclc said screwthrcadcd portion 61. The reversed supporting bushing 14 is secured in fixed or nonrotative relation to its fixed support 11, by means of the setscrcv 22, or other suitable securing means. And the boring bar or tool 40 is then rotated in its supporting hearings or bushings 14, with the rotative cutter or cutters 44in cutting engagement with the bore 20 of the connecting rod 21, or article to be operated upon.

Although I have shown and described a compression spring 55, which is adapted to tend to press the cuttcrs 44 in one direction longitudinally of the boring bar or remner, I find it very desirable in practice to mount the screw-threar'led plug 57 in and in threaded engagement with. the i nner scrcw-thremled bore or end opening (34, as already described, and to provide said plug 57 with an axial opening through which extends a stem 66 fixed to the end of the forked or split bolt 47 or its extended end portion 58 which is, by preference, integral with the forked bolt 47, as shown in Fig. 6. And a threaded nut 67 is mounted on and in screw-threaded cngagement with the threaded end portion of the stem 66, and rotative in an axial recess 68 in the nut or plug 57, already described. The 57 is thus adapted to nxove ,iorkcd bolt 47, 58, in either direction longitudinally of the tubular boring bar 40, as desired.

It will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art to which this invention relates, that the cutters 44, and the cutter- Ell rasse adjusting and securing or locking means above described, are adapted to enable the cutting edges 45, 4-5, of the cutters or cutter blades 44, to be adjusted with great accuracy, and measured atter being adjusted and secured in any desired adjusted positiomso to bore or ream a hole of exactly the required or desired diameter, and so as to enable the operator, by merely measuring the distance between the opposite cutting edges 4:5, 45, ot the cutter blades let, id, to ascertain and determine in advance of the cutting, reaming or boring operation, the exact diameter or dimensions of the bore or hole to be bored or reamed.

it claim:

1. 1'11 a device ot the class descrilald, the combination of a rotative borii'ig member com prising acutter, supporting means comprising a non-rotative annular bearing member in supporting engagen'ient with and adapted to encircle one end of said rotative boring memher, said bearing member having a tapered portion encircling the boring member and adapted to extend into an opening in and in supporting engagement with an article to be operated upon, means adapted to removably hold an article to be operated upon in rigid relation to said supporting means and in engagement with said cutter, non-rotative screwthreaded supporting means adapted to en circle said boring member, means for detachably connecting said non-rotative screwthreaded supporting means in reversible relation to said lirst-n'ientioned supporting means, and means rotative with said rotative boring member, and in screw-threaded engagement with said non-rotative screwthreaded supper-tin means.

2. In adevice or the class described, the combination oi a rotative boring member comprising a cutter, stationary supporting means comprising an annular bearing member adapted to encircle and form a support for said rotative boring member, said bearing member having a tapered portion encircling said rotative boring member adapted to engage and forming a stationary support for an article to be operated upon and into which said rota-tivc boring men'iber. extends, clamping means connected with said supporting means and adapted to engage and removably hold an article to be operated upon in engage ment with the tapered portion of said bearing member and in position to be engaged by said cutter, non-rotative screw-threaded supporting means adapted to encircle said boring member, means for detachably connecting said nonaotative screw-threaded member in reversible relation to said first-mentioned supporting means, and an annular screwthreaded member fixed to and rotative with said boring member, and in screw-threaded engagement with said nonuotative screwthreaded supporting means.

3. in a device of the class described, the combination of a rotative boring member comprising a cutter, supporting means com prising an annular bearing member adapted to encircle and form a support for said rotative boring member, said bearing member having an annular tapered portion encircling saidrotative boring member and adapted to extend into and term a stationary support for a piston rod bearing into which said rotative boring member is adapted to extend, clamping means connected with said supporting means and adapted to be removably secured in supporting engagement with such article to be operated upon, a non-rotative annular inner screw-threaded member supported by said first mentioned supporting member and adapted to encircle said boring member, means for detachably connecting said non-rotative annular inner threaded member said first-mentioned supporting means, and an annular screw-threaded member fixed to and rotative with said boring member and adapted to be operatively engaged and encircled by said non-rotative screw-threaded member.

at. in a device of the class described, the combination of a base having a pair of hollow annular socket portions, annular bushings l'l'lOUD'tUCl in said hollow socket portions and adapted to encircle and rotatively support a boringbarin position to extend through and in mncentric relation to said bushings and through the bore of a connecting rod bearing to be operated upon, one of said annular bushings having an annular tapered portion oncircling said rotative boring member and adapted to project into and in supporting engagement with the bore of a connecting rod to be operated upon and into which said rotative boring member is adapted to extend, and the other one of said bushings having an in her screw-threaded portion, means for detachably connecting said inner screw-thread ed bushing with said base, clamping means on said base adapted to removably hold a connecting rod bearing in position to encircle such boring bar and extend between and in engagement with said annular bushings, with the connecting red at right angles to the axes of the bushings and boring bar, and screwthreaded :teeding means in rotative screwthreaded engagement with such inner screwthreaded bushing and adapted to rotate with such boring bar, for feeding the boring bar longitudinally of the axes of said bar and said bushings.

hiigned at Uhicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, this 22nd day of July,

HENRY McDONOUGI-I. 

